Indian cinema to recognize digital dream

“We have delayed the digital revolution by 15 years already. To delay it further would be more foolish,” said actor Kamal Haasan here on Monday. He launched a new technology, by Cineola Digital Cinemas, that is aimed at producing superior quality digital output with sharper quality in motion pictures.

Mr. Haasan predicted that the country's entertainment industry would grow from its present size of $ 14 -15 billion to $ 120 billion if the digital image processing was ushered in. He recalled how the tax demands on film stars had become conducive over the years. “There was a time when film stars paid 80 per cent of their income as tax. Things don't seem to have changed even when it has reduced. It is time for us to give back to further the cause of the entertainment industry,” he said, underscoring the need for the Indian cinema to realise the digital dream.

John Anthony, director, Cineola Digital Cinemas, said that though it is an expensive proposition, the company would work on faster encoding techniques using parallel processing technologies to ensure better digital output. “We intend to give absolute power to theatre owners over their content, by providing servers in theatre rooms that will facilitate quality pictures,” he said, adding the company is in talks with studio labs in this context.

This would help producers and theatre owners refine or at least produce the same quality and resolution of pictures handed down to them by cinematographers, said Nazir Ahad, CEO, Cineola Digital Cinemas. Chairman of the company, Anthony John, participated in the meeting.

Jackman in Bollywood films

HUGH Jackman is in talks to star in Bollywood movies, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The Wolverine star revealed he was actively seeking roles in Hindi cinema while participating in a panel at the FICCI Frames annual convention in Mumbai. "I am looking forward to working in Bollywood films. I am meeting directors," Jackman said. Jackman danced to a popular Hindi film song with Indian star Shah Rukh Khan after the panel, which addressed the growing impact of Bollywood on global cinema and the Hollywood studio system.

"I am a huge fan of Shah Rukh Khan and I loved his film 'My Name is Khan.' I want to do a sequel to this film and that will be called My Name is Jackman and I am not a tourist," Jackman joked in a reference to the My Name Is Khan tag line, "And I am not a terrorist." Addressing the Hollywood studio system, Jackman said, "I have mostly worked with Fox. Some creative people find the studio system intrusive and get very negative. But a studio which is putting in millions of dollars has the right to have a say. Studios are run by smart people. They make 18 to 20 films a year." Jackman said studio heads often advised him on what roles he should accept. When asked how Bollywood is perceived in Australia, he said, "Bollywood is cool."

Selvaggia reveals ‘Mumbai feels just like home’

For about 11 years, Selvaggia Velo has been visiting Mumbai to find movies to screen at what is the first international fest devoted to Indian cinema - River To River Florence Film Festival. “I quite feel at home here now,” says Selvaggia, who was in the city earlier this month to finalise films for the 2011 edition of the fest that takes place in December each year. The purpose is to show a 360 degree spectrum of India. “The films I pick have to be well directed, but they should also have the country’s essence in them,” explains Selvaggia, who has spent all these years meeting directors, watching Bollywood movies and keeping an eye out for low budget indie projects that could use a push.

“Big commercial movies need less help, but its not like we don’t screen them at all,” explains the enthusiast, who is keen on honouring Rabindranath Tagore this year. “We have had lots of retrospectives, including one on Satyajit Ray. Now I am sourcing films that have been made from Tagore’s stories and novels.” Having observed the industry as an outsider, Selvaggia has seen Indian cinema develop. “Three years ago, films about bomb attacks were censored. Then stories about love and families became rampant,” she says. But the most significant change she has seen has been is the difference between indie and commercial films. “Earlier, they were far apart, but now even big budget movies are interesting,” she says.

But keeping the festival going has not been an easy task. With the recession having hit Europe badly, Selvaggia has been struggling. “Italy is going though a bad time. Our Prime Minister has cut 80 per cent of the funds dedicated to culture,” asserts Selvaggia. The lack of world film releases in Italy, and an indigenous industry only adds to the difficulties. “My Name Is Khan (2010) released only for a week in Italy. So no one knows much about Indian cinema as opposed to Germany, who is mad about Bollywood. If Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan or Amitabh Bachchan walk the streets of Italy no one would turn around; Aishwarya Rai Bachchan… maybe,” says Selvaggia, who on her recent trip to the city was highly impressed with director-producer Vishal Bhardwaj. “For 11 years I never met him, but I bumped into him on this trip. He is so grounded and polite. I love his films.” The festival, which thrives under the patronage of the Indian embassy in Rome, will take place from December 2 to 8 this year. The selection will go on till September.

London Film festival

The annual London Asian Film Festival that opened last Friday at the British Film Institute will honour a range of films from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh that have made waves on the international film festival circuit.

Leading stars of Bollywood and Independent Cinema who are likely to attend the ten- day festival are Manisha Koirala, Sanjay Suri, Ajay Naidu, Heather Burns and Karsh Kale among others. The festival will screen a few cutting edge independent films like Ajay Naidu’s Ashes, Onir's I Am and Sanjay Gupta’s Pankh.

The highlights of this year’s festival include a ‘Costume Design’ master class at BAFTA with Academy Award winner and Indian cinema’s well-known costume designer Bhanu Athaiya, screening of Peepli Live and talk by its director Anusha Rizvi, Hollywood actor Heather Burns screening her film Ashes and a short film competition showcasing the remarkable work of aspiring filmmakers. The festival will stay till 27 March.

Bal Gandharva to debut in Cannes Film Festival

The world premiere of Marathi film Bal Gandharva based on the life and times of one of the greatest singers and actor of Marathi theatre Narayan Shripad Rajhans, better known as Bal Gandharva, will take place at the Cannes International Film Festival this year. Acclaimed art director Nitin Desai, who has forayed into film production with this movie which will release in India on May 6, expressed confidence that Bal Gandharva will make the country proud at the international level. "The grandeur and scale on the movie will take Indian cinema to the next level," Desai who has worked on over 100 Bollywood movies told PTI.

Desai said representatives of international film festivals who have seen the rushes of the film are extremely impressed with the production quality and the scale. "Apart from Cannes, the film is likely to be screened at Venice, Berlin, Toronto," Desai said adding that he will release Bal Gandharva in India in Marathi with English sub-titles. Bal Gandharva was not just an actor and singer but a showman with a divine voice who dedicated his life to his art. "When Bal Gandharva's play Maanapmaan opened in Pune on March 12, 1911, his daughter had passed away in the morning the same day. But, still the legend went ahead with the show, enthralled the audience before going back home to grieve behind closed doors. Our film is a tribute to the Master," he added.

Desai said since he had worked on realistic and commercial movies, he wanted to strike a right balance for his own production. "My film had to have my style of grandeur but at the same time not compromise on researching the subject," he added. He said ever since he decided to turn producer with a Marathi movie first, he was looking at subjects involving great men and women from Maharashtra. "Actor Subodh Bhave who plays the title role of Bal Gandharva brought up the subject as he had read about the legend and was mighty impressed. Within 12 seconds of our discussion, we decided that we had to make a movie on Bal Gandharva," Desai said. Bal Gandharva was famous for his roles of female characters in Marathi plays. Women would not act on stage in those days.

He acted in numerous classic Marathi plays and was one of those who were responsible for making Sangeet-Natak (musicals) and Natya-Sangeet (songs in those plays) popular among common masses. He was a disciple of Bhaskar-buwa Bakhale who scored music for Swayamwar. Govindrao Tembe scored music for Manapman. While Bal Gandharva's composer of choice was Master Krishnarao (Krishna Phulambrikar). The songs rendered by him are, to date, considered as classics and his singing style is greatly appreciated by Marathi critics and audiences.

He acted in plays written by Annasaheb Kirloskar, Govind Ballal Deval, Shripad Krishna Kolhatkar, Kakasaheb Khadilkar, Ram Ganesh Gadkari, Vasant Shantaram Desai. Desai said the non-Maharashtrians who have heard the music of Bal Gandharva can not stop raving about it. "I have shown the Marathi film with English sub-titles to several people and have received praises for the music. This shows that even though people can understand a movie in a different language by reading sub-titles, such things are not required for those who have a ear for good music. It proves that music knows no boundaries," he said.

He will release the music album on April 4, on the occasion of Gudi Padwa. "I have invited several bigwigs from the music field and two songs from the film will be performed live. This will help generate a buzz about the film," Desai said. Speaking of his other productions, Nitin Desai said he was making a movie on Ajanta Ellora in Marathi and English. Similarly, the script of his trilingual movie on Shivaji is being finalised. "A Hollywood writer is working on the English version of the movie on Shivaji. I have registered the title in Los Angeles as well. The casting will begin after I release Bal Gandharva and the movie is likely to go on floors by the end of the year," he added.

Demand waiver of entertainment tax on films with Telugu titles

While owners of single-screen theatres in Maharashtra have decided to shut down for a week from March 25 demanding waiver of entertainment tax, theatre owners in Andhra Pradesh are also pressing with a similar demand. In Maharashtra, theatres pay entertainment tax up to 45 per cent, whereas in Andhra Pradesh it is only 16 per cent. Theatre owners in both Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh are citing the examples of Rajasthan and Punjab, where there is no such entertainment tax, and Tamil Nadu where the tax is negligible.

Film exhibitors in Andhra Pradesh pay upwards of Rs 125 crore annually to the state government as entertainment tax. With the amount being substantial, official sources said the state government has not reacted positively to the demand of theatre owners. "The state government is lukewarm to the demand being made by film exhibitors because of the revenue that will be lost if the demand is met. But we are still pursuing with the demand and have put it forward once again to the Kiran Kumar government," a film exhibitor said.

However, as an alternative, cinema owners are suggesting to the state government that it waive entertainment tax on films with Telugu titles. At present, Hindi, English films and other Indian language films have to pay an entertainment tax of 24 per cent. With the trend of Telugu films being given English or even Hindi titles on the increase, the theatre owners are of the opinion that it affects the audience flow into the theatres especially in the rural areas. "Since the film does not have a Telugu title, people do not come in to watch the movie as they do think it could be a Hindi or English movie," a film exhibitor said.

Of late, it may be mentioned here, with filmmakers tilting more towards the urban audiences, films are being given English or even Hindi titles. For example, a top hero's forthcoming film is said to be titled `Mr Perfect' and another hero's film `Oh my friend' and hero Nitin's next film which is to be released soon is titled `Maaro' in Hindi. Another film titled `LBW' was released recently. Films like `Orange', `Awaara', `Darling' and `Leader' were released in recent times. Actor Nagarjuna, in particular, has been fascinated with non-Telugu titles for his films which included `Don', `King', and `Mass'.

Shah Rukh holds up for globalisation of Bollywood

Shah Rukh Khan believes that the Indian movie industry is at its best times and says people should focus on globalising it instead of chasing crossover cinema.  "The world is looking at India... But I have an aversion to one word - it disturbs me that all Indian filmmakers are chasing an elusive dream of crossover cinema," Shah Rukh said Friday at the India Today Conclave.

"It is nothing at all - there is nothing known as crossover film. If there would have been one, our smarter cousins Hollywood would have made crossover films in America and taken over Indian film industry. We should think of taking over, we should be thinking of globalising Bollywood," he added. With studios like Warner Bros, Sony and Disney coming to India and making Hindi and regional films, Shah Rukh feels that: "We need to have give and take relationship for the western cinema. We need to welcome Western films with open arms."

"Let them enjoy the benefits of investing in this growing Indian TV and film market, make alliances and allow them to make films here because we are cheap when it comes to expenses."

Three Indian films to cover at Maximum India fest

As part of the Maximum India Festival that is being held from 1 to 20 March In Washington DC, three films that include Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali, Ketan Mehta's Mirch Masala and Aamir Khan’s Dhobi Ghat will be screened at the John F. Kennedy Centre on the last day. The festival has been featuring dance, music, cinema, literature, theatre and cuisine of India.

Pather Panchali was Ray's debut film and the first of his 'Apu trilogy'. The film had a universal humanist appeal and dealt with the grim struggle for survival by a poor family. The remaining two films of the trilogy, Aparajito and Apur Sansar, follow Apu as the son, the man and finally the father.

Mirch Masala, set in pre-Independence India, tells the story of a beautiful and confident woman whose husband is away in the city. She spurns the advances of the tax collector, who is known for demanding more than taxes, and flees to a spice factory. Dhobi Ghat is the story of four different people in the city of Mumbai who get entwined by fate and luck.

Apart from him being present at the screening of his film, Mehta will also be a part of a panel discussion on Indian women in films on 15 March that would be moderated by Nandita Das with Shabana Azmi, Sharmila Tagore, director Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Dilip Basu in the panel.

Tanu Weds Manu To Be Dubbed Into German

Bollywood films being dubbed into foreign languages did happen during the legendary Raj Kapoor's era. Most of his films were dubbed into Russian. Now it's the turn of the recent hit Tanu Weds Manu which is all set to be dubbed into German. In fact, a few students of Comparative Cinema from the University of Regensburg in Bavaria, Germany visited India to take part in the study program of Indian cinema. As they are in contact of the filmmaker Hansal Mehta he guided them to Aanand Rai, director of Tanu Weds Manu.

Soon after watching the film the entire group is believed to be exhilarated by the performance of the stars as well as the making of the film and decided on dubbing the film into German. So, our very own Tanu and Manu is set to get a global platform.

Bollywood search for younger audience

Bollywood is dyeing its hair blond, getting itself a sports car and donning a pair of worn-out jeans. In other words, it's trying to get younger and hipper.  The Hindi film industry, until now ruled by stars mostly in their 40s, is looking to woo younger audiences with edgier storylines and younger talent. Two of Bollywood's biggest production houses, Yash Raj Films and Viacom18 Motion Pictures -part of the Viacom 18 group, a 50-50 venture between Viacom and Network 18 -have set up separate branches to cater to the 18-25 age bracket, hoping that the increasing spending power of this group will make these movies financially viable.

"They cannot afford to ignore this demographic, because they form more than 60 per cent of theatre audiences and Bollywood is realizing that now," says C. Sridhar of 4sight, a company that tracks films and their success. Bollywood is traditionally known for its song and dance routines and family melodramas, but all that has changed in recent years.  The rise of what is known as the "multiplex audience," urban viewers who have a taste for edgier cinema and the spending power to watch it, has meant that Bollywood is now exploring newer storylines and bolder themes.

The bulk of that audience are youngsters, either in college or fresh out of it, exposed to Western shows and movies and with more spending power than they have ever had before. "This is an audience that doesn't think like the rest of the population, they are more willing to experiment," says Vikram Malhotra of Viacom18. "This is the SMS generation, so time is short and they have a lot to do." Viacom18 has a separate branch called Tipping Point, which will develop and produce films aimed at young audiences. Malhotra says the studio will bring in younger directors and young talent to act in movies that will have a distinct appeal to the 18-25 demographic, both in urban and rural India.The stories will be of every genre from crime to romance but tailored to suit the mindset of Indian youth.

"What will change is the way the stories are told -even though the themes might remain the same," says Sridhar.  "There will be more technology involved, better action, bolder characters -all things that will appeal to the younger generation."  The tilt toward youth also opens up opportunities for younger people within Bollywood itself.  Most of Bollywood's leading men, including the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan, are all in their mid-40s, and firsttime directors usually have to wait until their 30s to get a break. But that is changing.

Viacom18 has roped in director Anurag Kashyap, who is in his 30s, as a creative consultant on one such project for Tipping Point. Kashyap is also directing another film, a racy action thriller titled Gangs of Wasseypur. The question most skeptics are asking is if a film aimed at a particular demographic will be financially viable in an industry where there are only a handful of successes each year. "If they price it right and don't hire the big stars, thus increasing their budgets, I see no reason why these films shouldn't work," said Vajir Singh, trade analyst and editor of Box Office India magazine. "Increasingly, this will be the audience that will matter the most, and we will see other studios following suit."